We can’t build modern schools with paltry sum from Putrajaya: Pol sec
KUCHING: Kota Sentosa state assemblyman Chong Chieng Jen’s rant on the RM40mil per primary school state budget allocation is seen as “covering for his own failure”.
Political Secretary to the Chief Minister Dr Simon Sinang Bada said Sarawakians were made to believe that the state could look forward to 30 percent of the national budget.
“But not only did we not get 30 percent, there was nothing mentioned about our dilapidated schools or where would Pan Borneo Highway get its provision,” he said to The New Sarawak Tribune yesterday.
Dr Sinang said the RM4 bil federal budget to Sarawak looked more like “a little pack of peanuts taken out of the fat sack that was the Pakatan Harapan’s (PH) election manifesto”.
Elaborating, he said, “You have this sack of goodies, but for Sarawak all you took out was a tiny pack of peanuts which was nothing like those promises you had Malaysians believe.”
He said apparently when the 30 percent failed to materialise and dilapidated schools in Sarawak were left out of the federal budget, the oppositions trained their eyes on what the state was ready to dish out.
Dr Sinang said it was “too early in the day” to ask for full specifications on how the RM40bil was arrived at.
On Wednesday Chong was quoted as saying: “If you talk about A Class schools with 1,000 students, you (still) don’t need RM40mil to build (it).”
He went on to say: “This is clear abuse. Don’t treat development projects as ATM machines for cronies.”
Dr Sinang’s response was: “The way YB Sentosa put it is quite misleading.
“Indeed calculations for each school vary but the state is ready to spend up to RM40mil if that is what it takes to improve a school.
“Our estimates take into consideration location, mobilisation and transportation, soil conditions, compensations, etc. but at the end of the day the tenderers will decide the final price,” Dr Sinang explained.
He said it was preposterous to conclude that the RM40mil was “harga mati” (fixed price) because the state government knew it could save on the “best” tender price.
“You gave us peanuts, but we can’t build a modern school on peanuts. Our children’s future and the future of Sarawakians hinge a lot on what kind of schools we can provide for our children.
“It is this that spurs GPS (Gabungan Parti Sarawak) to come in where the federal government has failed,” Dr Sinang said.
